Tyler Skaggs is looking more and more ready for a spot in a big league rotation every time he pitches. He did it again yesterday with 7 strong innings allowing just 1 run on 7 hits and 3 walks while striking out 10. He had a shutout through six before allowing a double and a single in the 7th that plated the lone run against him. After a so-so first start in AAA back on July 1st, Skaggs has not allowed more than 1 earned run in any of his last five starts. And that's in the PCL mind you. Throwing out that first start, since then he's pitched 27.2 innings, allowed 22 hits, walked 9 and struck out 23. It makes you wonder if they trade a pitcher in the next couple of days if he won't be the one to get the call over Corbin. I'd argue they're both ready. There are very few teams in baseball who wouldn't have either of these guys in their rotation right now. It's a nice problem to have.
Snake Stars
3 Stars: Tyler Skaggs, Reno 7 IP, 6 H, 3 BB, 10 K, 1 ER
2 Stars: Jake Lamb, Missoula 3 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR (GS, 4), 7 RBI
1 Star: Kerry Jenkins, South Bend 3 for 5, 3 R, 1 TPL, 2 RBI
0 Stars: Willy Paredes, Visalia 1/3 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 1 HR, 7 ER
Game summaries after the jump.
Triple A: Reno 3 Sacramento 2. Tyler Skaggs was great as discussed above and was in position for the win but Bryan Shaw gave up the tying run in the 8th after striking out the first 2 batters. Then a 2-out walk was followed by a triple. Sound familiar? But Adam Eaton saved the day with a walk-off RBI double scoring Tyler Bortnick who had singled to lead off the inning. Bortnick went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI.
Double A: Mobile 9 Jacksonville 3. The team trades away two guys from the middle of the order and the Bay Bears offense comes to life with 9 runs. Coincidence? Absolutely. But still interesting to ponder. I'm sure it had more to do with getting out of Mississippi and back home to face a lesser-talented Jacksonville squad. Michael Bolsinger was pretty effective over 6 innings allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 5 hits and a walk while striking out 5. The big blow was a pinch-hit grand slam by Kyle Green in the bottom of the 8th inning. Chris Owings went 2 for 4 including his 4th home run for Mobile (17th overall) and also stole a base.
High A: Visalia 9 @ High Desert 10. Willy Paredes couldn't get out of the 1st inning and put the Rawhide in a big 7-0 hole early. It was 9-2 after 3 but then the offense got in gear and battled back with 4 in the 4th and 1 each in the 5th, 6th and 7th to tie it at 9. But High Desert scratched one out in the 8th and the comeback proved to be for naught. Jonathan Griffin, Yazy Arbelo and Keon Broxton all hit 2-run homers in the game to pace the offense.
Low A: South Bend 10 @ Lansing 11. Not one of Archie Bradley's better starts, and just when you thought he was turning a corner. He didn't get through the 5th inning before giving up 5 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks. He did strike out 11 so it wasn't all bad news. In spite of the rough start South Bend was still in position to win, but Jake Barrett couldn't convert the save when he allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk in the 9th for the walk-off loss. Plenty of offense as the Silver Hawks cranked out 19 hits led by 3 each from Chris Ellison, Niko Gallego, Eric Groff and Kerry Jenkins.
Short Season A: Yakima 0 @ Spokane 3. The Bears were one-hit by Spokane starter Connor Sadzeck and three relievers. Yakima ace Daniel Watts was going toe-to-toe with Sadzeck but cracked first in the 6th when he allowed singles to the first two hitters then threw away a sacrifice bunt. A 2-run double followed and the game was lost. He finished with 5.1 innings allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and 0 walks while striking out 4. Yogey-Perez Ramos got the lone hit, a single in the 5th.
Rookie: Missoula 12 Great Falls 0. This one was over early when Missoula scored 6 runs in the 2nd inning featuring a grand slam by Jake Lamb, who had 7 RBI on the day. Yoimer Camacho started and pitched 4 shutout innings even though he walked 5 and allowed 4 hits. Four relievers combined to pitch 5 hit-less innings in relief to maintain the blowout atmosphere. SS Pedro Ruiz also had a big game going 3 for 5 with 4 runs scored, a double, an RBI and a stolen base.